Improved water-proof fabric



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN SNARE, OF NEW YORK, n. Y.

IMPROVED WATER-PROOF FABRIC.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 56,625, dated July '24, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN SNARE, of the city and State of New York, have invented, made, and tested a certain new and useful Compound Non-Conducting Water-Proof Fabric; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the said fabric and of the mode of preparing the same.

The nature of my said invention consists in a compound fabric formed by the union of thin laminae of mica with layers of paper, cloth, silk, leather, or similar flexible materials, said layers sustaining the lamina of mica, and the mica rendering said fabric water-proof and non-conducting, so that said fabric can be used in wearing-apparel for keeping out moisture, for retaining the heat of the body, and for withstanding external heat.

I take fiat-surfaced crystals of mica and cleave them into laminae of any desired thickness, and I cause said laminae to adhere firmly to layers of paper, cloth, silk leather, orother flexible materials by means of cement or varnish of any desired kind, such as dextrine, starch, flour paste, glue, gum-arabic, gumtragacanth, solutions of india-rubber and gutta-percha; also, compound cements, such as flour paste with glue and flour paste with gumarabic 5 and where the fabric is folded or bent over to form an edge or rim I find said edge or rim thoroughly water-proof.

The cements above enumerated intimately connect the laminae of mica with the various other materials used in making said fabric; but I do not limit myself in this particular.

The new fabric can be made of any required thickness by repeated layers of the materials of which it is formed, and any desired extent of surface may be obtained by filing or scraping down to make thin the edges of the mica,

and then cementing and joining said edges together by placing one edge a little way over the other.

In making this fabric I first apply cement to the surface of the mica, so as to coat or cover it over evenly and entirely, and I then take the material I desire to use, in a dry state, and affix it to the cemented surface of the mica, to which it immediately adheres without expansion, drying perfectly flat.

This fabric may be used for insoles to boots and shoes. It adds so little to the thickness and weight of the leather as to be scarcely perceptible. It will prevent moisture from pass ing through the leather, will retain the heat to the sole of the foot in winter, and will withstand external heat in warm climates.

Said fabric may be used in the manufacture of hats. hat-bodies, and hat-tips, and a very light material can be made of it for the shapes of ladies bonnets. It may also be used as a lining for hats and caps, to prevent the action of the suns rays upon the head. It may be used as a protection against rain or under any circumstances, wherever available, in connection with garments or wearing-apparel, or the the manufacture of any other articles to which it may be applicable.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The water-proof or compound fabric adapted to the purposes specified and formed of laminae of mica cemented to flexible materiahas specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my signature this 23d day of J auuary, A. D. 1866.

J OHN SNARE.

Witnesses GHAs. H. SMITH, THOS. GEo. HAROLD. 

